In a hospital setting, cushioning devices in general, and in particular, mattresses, are typically provided with a waterproof cover to prevent soiling, and to allow wiping with cleaning and sterilising solutions. The waterproof cover may be a polymer sheet material or, more often, a fabric woven or knitted from polyamide or other suitable yarn, and then coated with a layer of occlusive material such as polyurethane. The knitted polyamide with polyurethane coating is frequently used to provide a degree of stretch, while providing water-proofing.
It is recognised in hospitals that these covers have a finite lifespan. Failure can occur in a number of ways: the waterproof coating can de-laminate from the knitted fabric, and possibly flake off. The complete material can be penetrated by stabbing or nicking with a sharp object. Seams can split or leak. Cleaning with inappropriate cleaning media can de-nature the waterproof coating, and render it permeable.
Failure of the waterproof cover has very undesirable consequences. Fluids, including body fluids containing pathogenic organisms, penetrate the mattress, where the typically foam interior retains the fluids like a sponge. The combination of a moist environment, contamination by body fluids and the pathogenic organisms contained therein, and warming by the body temperature of the patient lying on the mattress, create ideal conditions for the incubation and propagation of disease. Furthermore, as the patient moves on the mattress, or gets on or off the mattress, substantial quantities of air are blown in and out of the mattress interior. This air is often contaminated with aerosolised droplets of the contaminated fluids constituting a “microbial soup”, contained in the mattress. This introduces a bio-hazard to the ambient atmosphere of the hospital ward. It also presents an extreme hazard of cross-infection between patients, as a succession of different patients occupy the same mattress.
These risks can be mitigated by regular visual inspection of the mattress interior, to observe if the waterproof cover has been pierced, torn or otherwise compromised. The inspection can involve hospital staff carrying out visual inspection and smelling the inside of the cover and exposed mattress area. If inspection indicates that the waterproof cover is not intact then there is consequential disposal of the mattress. To facilitate this inspection, mattresses are provided with a zip on the cover, and hospitals conduct regular inspections, referred to as audits, by un-zipping the cover to inspect inside the waterproof cover and the filling material.
However, this audit technique has a number of serious problems:
1) The zip is typically not waterproof or air-tight. The provision of a zip on the mattress therefore provides the opportunity for ingress of water, or ingress or egress of aerosolised pathogens. Flaps and other arrangements which are sometime provided to cover the zip, only partially obviate this problem; The flap, so that the cushioning device can “breathe” cannot be hermetically sealed over the zip and is typically left open along the lower side of the zip. The opening is susceptible to air and liquid borne pathogen ingress.
2) In the event that the mattress has a contaminated interior, the individual performing the audit is exposed to high levels of contamination in the process of un-zipping the waterproof cover and inspecting the area inside the cover; and
3) Un-zipping and opening the cover distributes contamination to the surrounding air.
The present invention seeks to alleviate the problems associated with the prior art.
It is to be understood, throughout this specification, that the term “cushioning device” refers to a mattress, pillow, duvet, cushion, or other padded or upholstered bedding, seating, or padding product.
Furthermore, it is to be understood that the sampling device for sampling air from inside of the cushioning device may be a hand-held device but is not limited to hand-held devices.
The present invention accordingly provides a system for checking the interior of hermetically sealed cushioning devices for contamination, comprising a hermetically sealed cushioning device having a sealable port adapted to allow extraction of air from interior of the cushioning device, and means adapted for extracting air from the interior of the cushioning device, and means for analysing said extracted air to determine if it contains contaminants.
Other features of the system of the present invention are included in the appended claims.
The system comprises a sampling device for extracting a sample of air from inside a sealed cushioning device, the device having a nozzle removably engageable with a port on the sealed cushioning device. Thus, the present invention has the advantage of providing an auditing system comprising the sampling device for sampling air from the interior of a cushioning device; and the sealable port adapted to be secured on the cushioning device.
The present invention also provides a cushioning device comprising a port adapted for connection to a cushioning device and removeably engageable with a sampling device. The invention also relates to a method for sampling air from the interior of a mattress by means of providing the mattress with a port through which air may be sampled, and using a pump or blower to extract air from said port for sampling; optionally the method includes the step of extracting air from the mattress to allow sampling of air from within the mattress core.
In one aspect, the present invention relates to a sampling device for extracting a sample of air from inside a sealed cushioning device, the device having a nozzle removeably engageable with a port on the sealed cushioning device.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a sealable port adapted for connection to a cushioning device and the sealable port being adapted to be removeably engageable with a sampling device, the port having means for attaching the port to the cushioning device; and the port having means for containing air within the cushioning device until such time as an inspection of the contents is carried out.
Conveniently, the sealable port may comprise a flanged tube attachable to a cover of a cushioning device and the means for attaching the port to the cushioning device may optionally, comprises the cover having a hole corresponding in size to the bore-hole of a flanged tube and the flanged tube being provided with means to secure the flanged tube in the hole.
In one embodiment a nut may be fed through the hole, exploiting the elastic nature of the cover material to allow its passage through the relatively small hole; the flanged tube defining the port has, a threaded section, and the flanged tube is fed through the hole; Once again exploiting the flexibility of the cover, the nut is then tightened to the port, trapping the boundary of the hole between the nut and the port.
Advantageously, at least one rubber gasket, is include in the assembly to aid sealing. Numerous existing technologies used for cable glands, for example, employ ratchets and other devices to ensure that the nut does not loosen. Alternatively, numerous adhesives and adhesive tapes are available attaching the port to the cover.
Alternatively, the cover may be conveniently punched with a hole and the means for attaching the port to the cushioning device comprises a die-cut disc of double-sided self-adhesive tape, also with a hole, placed over the hole in the cover whereby the port, is then affixed to the other side of the self-adhesive tape disc.
In another alternative embodiment, the means for attaching the sealable port to the cushioning device comprises welding.
Preferably, the sealable port comprises means for preventing flow of air in or out through the port when inspection is not taking place i.e. when the port is not in use for sampling air within the cushioning device.
Advantageously, the means for preventing flow of air in or out through the sealable port when inspection is not taking place, may comprise a removeable cap provided on the port to prevent ingress or egress of air, when inspection of the interior is not taking place.
Alternatively, the means for preventing flow of air may comprise any one of the following group: a pinch valve, a one way valve, a roll-over closure or similar means.
Conveniently, the cap comprises a threaded cap, which screws onto a corresponding thread on the port.
Ideally, a seal is provided within the cap to provide a seal when the cap is screwed tight; optionally wherein the seal comprises a rubber disc.
In a second aspect, the present invention provides a cushioning device for example, a mattress comprising a port adapted for connection to a cushioning device and removeably engageable with a sampling device.
Preferably, the cushioning device of the present invention may be provided with a first port and a second port, to allow a circuit of air between the sampling device, pump, or blower, and the cushioning device, such that air extracted from one port by the pump is returned to the other port, allowing no escape of potentially contaminated air to the ambient environment.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a sampling device for extracting a sample of air from inside a sealed cushioning device, the device having a nozzle removeably engageably with a port on the sealed cushioning device.
Preferably, the sampling device for extracting a sample of air from inside a sealed cushioning device, comprises a casing, contains a blower unit comprising a motor, and a fan or impeller; optionally wherein the blower is powered by a battery unit, which may be contained within a handle, and activated by operating a switch; and optionally wherein a nozzle, mates with the mattress port. As previously described, suitable arrangements may readily be provided whereby the application of the nozzle to the port opens the port and allows air to flow.
In a further aspect, the present invention also provides a method for sampling air from the interior of a mattress comprising a device for sampling and a port securable to a cushioning device; the method comprising the following steps: providing the mattress with a port through which air may be sampled, and using a pump or blower to extract air from said port for sampling; optionally the method includes the step of extracting air from the mattress to allow sampling of air from within the mattress core.
Other features of the method of the present invention are included in the appended claims.
The method has the advantage that it enables the interior of a cushioning device such as mattress, pillow, duvet, cushion, or other padded or upholstered bedding, seating, or other padding product to be sampled and wherein the air from the cushioning device is tested for presence of bacteria, fungi or other microbes within the cushioning device.
Preferably, the presence of microbial activity is identified by measuring adenosine triphosphate, or other substances indicative of microbial life in the cushioning device.
Ideally, the cushioning device is sealed, by providing an occlusive cover and welded seams, allowing access via the port for sampling.
Most preferably, the sealed cushioning device is provided with a vent comprising a microbial filter to allow passage of air but no passage of microbes, to replenish air within the cushioning device and so facilitate extraction of air via the port.
Advantageously, the method includes the step of testing the air extracted from the cushioning device, by testing in real time, using an analyser to detect presence of microbes or chemical indicators of microbes.
Optionally, the method includes the step of storing air extracted from the cushioning device for later analysis using chemical analyser, or stored for later analysis using swabs and culture plates.
Optionally, the method includes the step of passing air extracted from the cushioning device over a collection swab for subsequent analysis.
Ideally, the method may include the step of passing the air exhausted from the pump or blower through a suitable filter to remove contaminants present in the sampled air, so preventing distribution of contaminants to the ambient environment.
The present invention has the advantage that it provides a means for carrying out a full inspection of the interior of a cushioning device such as a mattress interior without having to open the cushioning device cover. In turn, this makes it unnecessary to provide the cushioning device e.g. the mattress with a zip. Furthermore, the method of the present invention has the advantage that it will not expose the person inspecting the mattress or the surroundings, to biological hazard from the mattress interior. In addition, by making the auditing process considerably easier, quicker, and less hazardous, it makes more frequent inspections viable, thus catching compromised covers earlier, and thus spreading less infection.
The present invention will now be described more particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings in which are shown a number of embodiments of the sampling device, inspection system and the inspection method of the present invention.
Although the drawings show a mattress and the following description refers to a mattress, it is, of course, to be understood that the present invention can be applied to any cushioning device of which a mattress is merely an example.
While the embodiments of the device, the port, the system and the method are shown by way of example in the drawings with reference to a mattress, it is, of course, to be understood that the present invention can be used in conjunction with any sealed cushioning device.